Department Store Down
by SwiftyTheWolf
Summary: After a certain hacker boy's harmless prank goes wrong and everyone inside the Department Store becomes trapped inside, what will happen? How will our two main characters react? Rated T for Karkat's mouth, as per usual in this fandom. Humanstuck!
1. It all Goes Downhill

**Hey ya'll, Swifty here! So, I got this great idea, and I couldn't help but write it out. Honestly, I have no idea whether or not this will be turn into a chaptered story. In case I do decide to write up more chapters for this, though, I'd love to hear ideas from you guys! Ideas are always nice, especially when I'm suffering from a big bad case of Writer's Block. Which I am now; basically, this was written to unwind and practice, although I do like where it's going. Anyways, let me warn you, I'm horrible at keeping up with chaptered stories if this turns into more than a one-time thing, so updates won't be often. Well, hopefully you enjoy this! Leave reviews if you'd like, and although it'd be greatly appreciated by me, you don't have to if you don't want to! ^_^ Have fun!**

* * *

It's another boring day, of another boring week, of a boring month, all packed up into one boring year. Basically, a typical day in the life of Karkat Vantas.

If it weren't for his girlfriend, Terezi, he'd still be at home, snuggled up in his bed until four o' clock in the afternoon and watching Romcoms like there's no tomorrow. Which there may not be – how the hell should he know? It's not like he can predict the future. If he heard you say that, the response would probably be something along the lines of 'fuck you, dumbass'.

But he can't hear you, so you're spared the poison of his fowl mouth.

Instead of being in his bed though, he's walking through the department store at 12:45 in the afternoon, Terezi holding onto his arm like a giggling three-year old. Actually, that's how she acts all the time. All the fucking time. Sometimes, Karkat will ask how he deals with her shit, and she'll usually reply with a snarky 'because I'm the only one who will deal with yours!' That usually shuts him up for at least a little while.

"Terezi, can we _go_ yet!?" He runs his free hand through his messy hair, still tangled from the lack of brushing it never received that very morning when Terezi came barging through his front door, spare apartment key in hand and wallet in tow. She had decided that today, although rainy and kind of cold would make a perfect shopping day; an idea he wasn't too keen on in the slightest. But, alas, she begged and begged until he finally gave in, as long as it would shut her up. Which it did for a little while, but as soon as they arrived at the large store, she began the excessive cackling and babbling again. "It's getting way too fucking packed in here for my liking."

"But _Karkles_, we haven't even bought anything!" She let go of his arm and whined, turning on her heels to face him with a distraught look on her face.

"Yeah, that's because we've been fucking walking around for the last goddamn hour and a half! Doing absolutely, jack shit _nothing!_ Just. Looking." His fingers twitch as little kids laugh and scream happily, some of them even crying, and as adults and teenagers pass by, bumping into him and muttering rather rude things as if it were his fault.

Karkat is not and will not be afraid to shout the rude things back.

"Because we haven't found the right store yet!" Her red glasses reflect a glare from some of the lighting in the store, causing him to flinch his sunken in eyes and kicking the floor grumpily.

"You're _blind_, you can't even see what the fuck you're looking at it." For emphasis, he waved his hand in front of her face. She licked it happily. "Agh, you know I hate it when you do that!" His black shirt is rather useful for drying the Terezi saliva off of his hand, and it has been for the last two years they've been together.

They met at age seventeen, started dating at age eighteen, and have a healthy relationship at their current age of twenty.

"Why do you think I do it?" Her cackling is loud and obnoxious over all the commotion going around the large space, and he looks around a bit self-consciously. Sometimes, he'll admit, Terezi is an embarrassment to have in public, but he'd never say that out loud. Even if he is a douche, he isn't _that_ big of a douche. "Anyways, I can just sense what I really want! If you were blind too, you'd get it." Terezi crosses her arms over her chest defensively, styled, black hair bouncing as she complete the movement.

"Terezi," He grabs her shoulders and brings her face close to his just to get her attention. "In the last department, you were _sniffing unused panties._"

"Maybe I need some underwear? You don't know." Quickly, she gives him a quick kiss, making his pale cheeks light up in a bright red. "Just, please. Let's keep walking." With a grunt and no more words, he holds out his arm for her to grab, which she takes excitedly and begins the process of dragging him around the store again.

* * *

Black, winged hair bounces along with a head as the lankily-built teenager strides into the video store, followed closely by a grinning girl. The boy, about nineteen years of age, making him just a year younger than the newly arrived customers, behind the counter nods at them, and they nod back.

This is Sollux Captor, followed by his lovely girlfriend, Feferi.

He steps towards the counter with his long legs, Feferi bouncing excitedly behind him, and props his elbows onto the surface before placing his head in his hands.

"Can I help you?" The counter-boy asks with a raised eyebrow.

Braced teeth flashing, Sollux quickly explains his reasoning for entering. "Do you know where…Let's say, the manager's office is?" His lisp shines through any and all attempts at hiding it, so he doesn't bother trying that anymore; anyways, Feferi thinks it's cute.

"Why?" The stranger's monotonous voice is already beginning to irk the, obviously, much more intelligent and cool Sollux, and his fingers twitch slightly.

"Why should we be telling you our business with the manager? Now would you please tell us where it is?" The hesitance in counter-boy makes Sollux let out an exasperated sigh, and Feferi puts a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it subtly in an attempt to tell the hacker boy to calm down. The attempt is successful.

"Look here Mister, we have every right to know, and you have no right to know our business!" She steps in suddenly, glaring at him with a frown. "Now, you'll either tell us where he is, or we'll find him ourselves and tell him about your refusal to cooperate with us!" Her threat seems to affect counter-boy, because his eyes widen and he shakes his head.

"Sorry, sorry! Jesus Christ, he's on the third floor, near the food court." His finger points towards the next staircase, leading up to the third floor. Feferi and Sollux nod at him without another word and begin to walk again.

"Sorry about that, but he was getting on my nerves!" She apologizes quickly for her sudden anger, but Sollux shakes his head and grabs her hand in his own, a smirk appearing on his lips.

"It's fine, really; you know I think it's hot when you take charge like that." Her blush is obvious, and he snickers a bit, enjoying her reaction.

"Now, would you mind telling me our business with the manager?"

"Well, the security systems must be near his office, right?" The girl nods uneasily, suddenly reluctant to keep the adventure going. "What? Don't look at me that way, it'll be an innocent prank, I promise! Nobody will get hurt, and nobody will get in trouble!"

"If you say so…"

* * *

"Mmf! These corn dogs are _the best!_" Terezi says through a mouthful of food, causing Karkat to stick out his tongue in disgust and turn away. "I don't understand why you don't like any of this!"

"It's all greasy and disgusting! Why the fuck would I want a heart attack at the age of twenty?" He's scanning the crowd for anybody else he might know, but when he doesn't recognize anybody, he sets his sight upon two people who seem to stand out – a couple, holding hands.

The boy is rather lanky and tall, the opposite of Karkat's own skinny, short structure. His hair is winged, and a pair of 3D glasses rest upon his nose as if they were meant to be there. '_What the fuck? Who the hell wears fucking 3D glasses casually?'_ The usually-angry man scrunches his nose up and continues examining them. Long gray pants are rolled up near the ends, and a black T-shirt with yellow seams adorns his torso. It's loose and baggy, unlike Karkat's tucked in, tight shirt.

The girl has long, flowing brown hair that reaches almost to her butt.

Shit, Karkat, why the fuck would you be looking there with your girlfriend sitting right across from you?

As if he could hear you think that, which he can't, an awkward grunt escapes his mouth as he turns his attention to some other part of her body. Goggles hang loosely from her neck, the bright pink easy to spot. '_What is _up_ with these guys and wearing weird fucking glasses-like objects? It's not even attractive!' _He thinks sourly. Her black tank-top is covered with a pink windbreaker that matches her pink and green skirt.

"Karkles? Are you listening to me?" His observations are cut short when Terezi snaps her fingers, bringing his attention back to her.

"Huh? Uh, no, sorry."

"Whatever, it wasn't important anyways." When Karkat looks back, the two have disappeared from sight. Strange. "Anyways, let's get going! There are more stores to search and sniff!" Her cane taps the ground next to her chair so she can make sure nothing is in her way, and after confirming that nothing is, she jumps to her feet.

"Fine, fine…" With some more grumbling beneath his breath, Karkat is up and holding onto her arm as they begin their journey through the Department Store.

Twenty-some minutes later, they find themselves searching about a video store the floor below them. While Terezi sifts through a big bin of used movies for only God knows why since she is blind after all and can't see whatever she's looking at, Karkat watches her with a bored expression. He worries about her sometimes; it isn't hard to think that she sometimes pretends to be able to see, simply so she doesn't seem as different as everybody else. Even when he asks and she says that being blind was something that was meant to happen to her and that she doesn't want to see anymore, he can't help but think she's just lying to both himself and herself.

There isn't much more time to think about that, because in about ten seconds flat, a few different things happen: a loud alarm sounds off throughout the whole entire building, red lights begin flashing everywhere, Terezi becomes so startled that the two movies in her hands go flying through the air and she quickly reaches out for Karkat, who hugs her tightly in an attempt to comfort the scared girl, and suddenly people are freaking out.

Gates are closing on the whole store itself, and the countless mini-stores inside. The metal kind that assure no entering. Or escaping.

The only thing going through Karkat's mind is 'get out, get out, get out!' So that's what he does. Mumbling an apology for what he's about to do, the man suddenly charges forward with all his force, dragging a speechless Terezi with him. Her cane falls to the floor, but there isn't time to retrieve it – with speed, he shoves his girlfriend out into the open of the store, her head barely hitting the gate. Quickly, he slides under it to join her.

They stand there without words for a few short moments before Karkat finally has the breath to scream: "What the _fuck_ is going on!?"

* * *

As for Sollux and the now panicking Feferi...

His head is in his hands as he shakes it back and forth mumbling the word 'sorry' and 'shit' repeatedly.

"S – Sollux!? What's happened, what did you do!?" A security guard lay unconscious in the floor not too far away, slumped against the wall after Feferi used one of the moves she learned in karate lessons.

"I – I messed up the code! I must've missed something, or, or…" Becoming flustered, he speaks no more and throws caution to the wind, and instead, starts mashing buttons until the alarm stops going off. Well, that's one problem solved. Now how the hell does he fix everything else and get away before anybody ahs the chance to catch him and Feferi?

* * *

**Okay, hi, it's Swifty here again! I just wanted to say, that if this doesn't become a chaptered story, I apologize for the cliffhanger. :3**


	2. How about some new Characters?

**Hi guys! So, I guess I'll make this into a chaptered story since I have a few ideas! Even so, reviews and suggestions are greatly appreciated, as well as critique (just be nice about it please!), corrections (if you see a typo or grammar error or something), or really anything else you can think of? Eheheh! Well, I don't know how often I'll be updating this since I'm going to be working on some holiday stories too! Plus, this isn't going to be a top priority, so who knows if I'll even be finishing it? But for now, I'll be working on it whenever I feel like writing. So I hope you enjoy! ^_^**

**I hadn't realized the lines I'd put in weren't showing up in between POVs and such. I fixed it though! :3**

* * *

"Equius!?" A girl, about the age of eighteen, calls out weakly, a cough escaping her mouth shortly afterwards. This girl goes by the name of Nepeta, Nepeta Leijon.

Earlier that day, she had arrived at the store with her older by three years step-brother, Equius, and his girlfriend, Aradia. Equius and Nepeta had known each other for a large chunk of their lives; about seven years, ever since Nepeta's mom died and Equius's father went to prison with a life sentence.

After the alarms went off for maybe thirty seconds and everything became locked off and protected, she had lost the one person she felt safe with, and her heart was beating fast. They had come looking for prescription medicine that Nepeta has had to take for years, in an attempt to fight the disease currently eating away at her health.

Nepeta was diagnosed with CML or Chronic Myeloid Leukemia at the age of 16. For a year and a half, she was doing well, but recently her condition has worsened, leaving her worse for wear. The doctors said she only had about four more months to live, at the most, and quite soon she'll have to be admitted to the hospital. For good. She was told that two months ago. For extra precautions, she's to be admitted within the next week.

Ever since then, Equius has tries to be the best big brother he can possibly be for her, turning down two scholarships and three great job offers just so he can stay at his house and care for her. She started living with him and Aradia around a year ago.

But now all hopes of getting that medicine today are lost, because the pharmacy mini-store is under lockdown, much like the rest of the building, and Equius is nowhere to be found.

* * *

"K - Karkles!? What's going on?" Terezi's voice sounds panicked, and she finds herself pressing close to Karkat's body, her mind racing fast.

Everything is black, as per usual for her, but right now she can't find that comforting - only scary. As bodies rush past them, pushing and shoving, she can practically feel the heat of everyone's breath sticking to her yellowed skin.

"I'm...Not exactly sure." His arm wraps protectively around her neck, soliciting a sigh of relief on her part. "Somebody must have triggered the alarm, everything's going on lockdown. What kind of idiotic fuckass would do that!?" His calmed voice turns into that of an angry one.

"Wait, you mean we're trapped here!?"

"I told you already: everything's on fucking lockdown. Yes, we're fucking trapped."

* * *

An enraged growl escapes the grimacing mouth of Equius Zahhak as he brings his fist back, only to slam it into the iron gate again. It barely dents.

Equius had always been by far stronger than anyone he'd ever met, and had graduated his high school as 'that guy you shouldn't mess with, ever.' Of course, that's a wrongly assumed title - despite being the champion boxer in his school, he wouldn't hurt a fly unless it was his opponent in a match. But here he is, his knuckles cracked and bleeding slightly from the force of punching the gate.

Everyone had assumed he'd graduate and go straight for training to be the boxing state champion, but his step-sister's condition had gotten considerably worse. Some days she'd only have a simple cough, but others...She'd be bed-ridden, sweating and weak. It worried him, and he cried at night for her, praying. Aradia would often hug him and whisper comforting words into his ears, running her hands through his long, dark hair and drawing patterns on his tanned skin with her fingers.

"Equius, sweetie, I think maybe you should calm down. Let's think about this logically, okay? It'll be like…Like…Like an adventure!" Aradia really does try her best to cheer him up, but he simply gives her a look and punches the gate again. Still, it doesn't budge.

* * *

"Sollux! Fix this, fix it now!" Feferi commands, shifting her weight from leg to leg uncomfortably. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see the passed out guard groaning and moving around in his forced sleep, seemingly going to wake up at any time. "And hurry!"

"B – But, FF, I really don't…Want to!" He finally spits it out, standing up from the chair and holding his head in his hands. "Fuck, I can't believe I did that! How could I mess it up? I could've missed any key in the whole entire loop! It might take me _hours_ to even find the mistake if I tried!" His brows are furrowed in a worried way as his hands drag down his face.

"What do you _mean_ you don't want to!? Oh cod, how could I let you talk me into this…? We're going to get in so much glubbing trouble!" There she goes, with her fish puns again. They usually only escape her mouth when she panics or gets irritated, and Sollux is almost positive which of the two emotions she's experiencing right now, if not both.

"Calm down! Just…" His fingers tap impatiently against his arms as he crosses them over his chest. "Let me think. I'll think of a way out of this."

"As long as you _fix this_!" Her hands grab onto his shoulders, almost in a threatening way, and she puts her face real close to his. A nervous swallow follows a nod, and she pushes him away so he can sit back at the computer and start looking at the screens in a thoughtful manner.


	3. The Motherfucking Cutest

**Hey ya'll, Swifty here! With yet another chapter of this story that I honestly never had any intention of continuing ever? But apparently it happened so whatever. I'm having more fun writing it than I thought I would! Also, I edited the last chapter – check around the part where it first introduces Nepeta and talks about how she only has a few months to live! I changed it a bit, so it'd fit better with how I plan on ending this thing eventually. Sorry for the lack of Karkat and Terezi in this chapter, but I'm just getting to know the other characters a little more. Also, I'm getting ready for what's going to happen in the next chapter or so. Enjoy the third chapter!**

* * *

"Motherfuck!" The vile word leaps of Gamzee Makara's throat as he lazily makes his way through the panicking crowd of people. Someone had stepped on his foot, and hard too. Of course he considered turning around and punching that motherfucker in the face, but when he realized it was just a woman, his anger drained out of him. It wasn't her fault, he figures.

Gamzee had been enjoying a nice corn dog by himself on his nineteenth birthday when the alarms started flipping their ever-loving shit and everything went to hell. Now all the stories are locked up, with people inside some of them - he see's an extra angry looking man punching the bars on one of the metal gates - but he pays no mind.

It's his own goddamned birthday and he'll enjoy it if he wants to, crisis or not. Now, to find the filthy scumbag who tried ruining everything...

"Equius!?" He hears the voice of a girl not too far away from him, and out of simple curiosity, he turns to see the source. A girl, about a year younger than him if not two, has the most panic-stricken look on her pale face. She's sputtering about, shivering and calling that word - most likely a name - in one spot.

"Hey sis," He strides right on up to her. In response, a surprised squeak escapes her mouth. "Whoa, sorry to scare you." She's looking up at him with wide, frightened eyes. "What?" A peculiar expression takes his face as he ponders what could be startling her. "Oh. It's the clown makeup isn't it? C'mon, its motherfucking easy to get used to, I promise!" The make-up had been applied neatly onto his face that morning before he started off his day.

When she doesn't say anything, but remains there trembling and coughing every so often, he sighs and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "Look; tell me who the motherfuck Equius is and what he looks like, and I'll help you find him."

"Y – You'd do that!?" Suddenly her eyes light up, as if she were just offered a million dollars. A laidback grin spreads across his face, followed by a short nod.

"Of course." How the hell could he say no to a cute motherfucker like that? With her eyes all wide and that smile on her face and shit. It's hard enough not just to scoop her into his arms and take her away himself, but that'd be creepy and he has a feeling this Equius guy might not like that very much.

* * *

"Equius, I really don't see the sense in this at all! You'll break your fingers if you keep that up!" Aradia scolds Equius, who finally sighs, turns his back to the gate, and slumps down against it with a defeated look. "Just…We're the only ones in here…" She looks around. In return, Equius twists his face into one of disgust.

"You can't seriously be suggesting we do what I think you're suggesting!?"

"No!" Her palm meets her forehead with a _smack_. He can be so ridiculous sometimes. "Um…Well, maybe we can find something on the computer?" The girl behind the counter had run off before the gates closed entirely, leaving them completely alone. "There has to be something on there that can help us." Equius is blushing from his accusation, but Aradia helps him up anyways, holding his bloodied hand to the computer.

* * *

"I…I think I saw that motherfucker back there!" Gamzee exclaims once Equius is explained to him. His words make Nepeta squeal with joy, that is, until it's interrupted half-way through by a coughing fit. Protectively, he steadies her when the coughing threatens to knock her small frame over.

"S – Sorry," She apologizes once she can talk again.

"Don't worry about it. Now, let me ask you, sis; what the motherfuck are you doing out here in that condition?" It can't possibly be safe for her to be wandering around with her older brother, erm, step-brother, can it?

"Equius was too scared to leave me alone…" She shuffles her feet sheepishly. The much taller boy scratches the top of his head through all his wild hair, a nervous habit, and cocks his head to the right.

"What's wrong with you anyways?" When Nepeta doesn't answer, he nods his head, figuring she might just not want to tell him. Whatever. If it's none of his concern, then it's none of his concern. "Okay, well anyways, let's go. Follow me." Before he can turn around though, she grabs his hand like a child would, as if begging for him to lead her. He doesn't complain; not only is she just about the cutest motherfucker he's seen in a long time, if this is her way of feeling safe amidst all the commotion, then he wants her to feel safe.

Also, her hands are warm against his cold ones, and it feels nice.

* * *

**Sorry guys for all the short chapters lately! I'm trying to make them longer, but I've been planning something for this story so it's been a bit hard to post filler, eheheh!**


End file.
